Nut-lock.



, C. GLAUM.

NUT LOCK. APPLIoA'rIoN FILED MAE. 9, 1909.

Patented Nov.8, 1910.

1HE :vonnis PETERS ca, wAsHmafaN, v. c.

` ployed to CONRAD GLA'UM, OF AUDUBON, MINNESOTA.

NUT-LOCK.

ermee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed March 9, 1909. Serial No. 482,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD GLAUM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Audubon, in the county of Becker and State of Minnesota,have invented a new and useful N ut-Lock, of which the following is aspecification.

The objects of the invention are, generally, the provision of a deviceof the class above-mentioned which shall be inexpensive to manufacture,facile in operation, and devoid of complicated parts; specifically, theprovision of a resilient element of novel and improved form designed tobe assembled with a nut whereby to lock the said nut to the boltuponwhich it is mounted; other and further objects being made manifesthereinafter as the description of the invention progresses.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument whereinpatentable novelty is claimed for certain distinctive and peculiarfeatures of the device, it being understood that, within the scope ofwhat hereinafter thus is claimed, divers changes in the form,proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made withoutde arting from the spirit or sacrificing any ofp the advantages of theinvention.

Similar numerals of reference are emdenote corresponding partsthroughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l shows my invention in sideelevation, the resilient element being in normal position; Fig. 2 showsmy invention in side elevation, the resilient element having been' movedmanually to a position of increased gripping action over-that shown inFig. l; and Fig. 3 is a top plan; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section ofthe nut.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 denotes a nut which may beof any form and provided with the usual aperture to receive the bolt lupon which the nut is mounted.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a resilient U-shaped elementcomprising an upper arm 8 and alower arm4the said resilient U-shapedelement being arranged to be rigidly assembled with the nut 2. Theterminal of the lower arm 4 of the U-shaped element is bentsubstantially at right angles to the lower arm proper, the rectangularlybent portion being denoted by the numeral 5.

An aperture 25 is made in the upper surface of the nut 2 adjacent oneedge thereof and into this aperture is introduced the bent portion 5 ofthe lower arm of the resilient element, the portion 5 being securelyretained in the aperture in the upper face of the nut in any suitablemanner. If desired, the portion of the nut which lies between theaperture in its upper surface and the outer wall of the nut, may bepressed inward as shown at 26 to engage and firmly hold the bent portion5 of the resilient element 2.

The upper arm 3 of the resilient element is arranged to extend withinthe extended contour of the aperture in the nut 2 designed to receivethe bolt l, the terminal of the upper arm 3, owing to the resiliency ofthe member, normally standing at some distance above the face of the nutto which the resilient U-shaped element is attached. The terminal of theupper arm 8 which stands within the extended contour of thebolt-receiving aperture of the nut is cut away as denoted by the numeral6 to conform to the contour of the bolt l the notch thus formed beingcut upon the arc of a circle conformed to the cross-sectional contour ofthe bolt, in the threaded portion thereof. The upper arm 3, intermediateits ends, is bent downward as denoted by the numeral 7 and the lower arm4 is bent upward, intermediate its ends, as denoted by the numeral 8,the bend 8 in the lower arm being disposed relatively near to the nut 2.These bends 7 and 8 form ngerreceiving seats whereby the resilient U-shaped element may be operated as hereinafter described. It will beseen, that, although the extremity of the upper arm 3 at all timesstands Within the extended contour of the bolt-receiving aperture in thenut, the resiliency of the U-shaped element causes the upper arm 3 whennot in engagement with the bolt l, to stand at a considerable distanceabove the face of the nut 2 to which the lower arm 4 of the U-shapedelement is attached. Therefore, if desired, the nut 2 may be rotated fora considerable distance from the bolt l before the resilient U-shapedelement has been engaged by the said bolt. The extremity of the upperarm 3, although normally standing within the extended contour of thebolt-receiving aperture in the nut and in a position operative to engagethe bolt when the same is mounted in the nut will, unless manually setinto alocking polaition, exert but slight pressure upon the olt.

' After the extremity of the bolt l has traversed the space intermediatethe upper face of the nut and the extremityof the arm 3, it will engagethe end of the lsaid arm 3 without being locked or held thereby to anyappreciable extent. When the nut 2 has arrived into the position inwhich it is desired to be locked, the arms 3 and et may be graspedbetween the fingers, theA fingers fitting into the seats 7 and 8 in saidarms. The arms 3 and e may then be pinched together and tilted slightlydownward to free the portion G of the arm 3 from the bolt. IVhen thearms 3 and 4 are released the cut-away portion 6 of the upper arm willengage the threads of the bolt 1 and be held against them, the frictionbetween the extremity of the upper arm 3 and the bolt l tending toprevent the rotation of the nut.

It is to be observed that the force with which the extremity of theupper arm 3 bears against the bolt may be adjusted, and this adjustmentdepends upon the amount of space .which is allowed to intervene betweenthe upper arm 3 and the lower arm 4L when the cut-away portionG of theupper arm is brought into Contact wit-h the thread of the bolt. If theU-shaped member is allowed to retain the position in which it normallystands the friction between the extremity of the upper arm 3 and thebolt will be very slight and if the arms 3 and 4L are brought into closerelation the friction, and consequently the holding effect of thedevice, will be greatly increased.

In cases where a Ushaped element of moderate resiliency only isemployed, it is possible to place the cut-away portion 6 of the upperarm in contact with the threads of the bolt 1 as soon as the firstthread of the bolt l has appeared above the nut 2 and in this position,since the cut-away portion 6 of the upper arm conforms to the peripheryof the bolt, the nut and its locking mechanisin may be rotated upwardlyor downwardly upon the bolt until the desired position has been reached.This operation will manifestly make the rotation of the nut upon thebolt l more difiicult and greater strength will have to be applied uponthewrench whereby the nut is rotated. `Ihen, however, the nut hasarrived in its ultimate position, the resiliency of the U-shaped memberwill hold the nut in position against any effort less than the effortexercised to rotate it to place. y

The resilient U-shaped locking clip is rig; idly assembled with the nutwhich carries it and the two cannot be separated accidentally. TheU-shaped member need be bent but little to seat it in its lockingposition and it may be used repeatedly. So long as a single thread ofthe bolt extends above the nut the U-shaped member will exercise itsholding or locking function.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, a nut having a bolt opening, and anaperture in its upper face adjacent one edge of the nut; and aresilient, U shaped member, one arm of which is rectangularly bent formounting in the aperture of the nut, the other arm thereof beingarranged to sta-nd terminally within the extended contour of theboltopening in the nut; the portion ofthe nut which is disposed betweenthe aperture and the periphery of the nut, being pressed inwardly toengage the bent part of the resilient member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy'signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CONRAD GLAUM.

Vilitiiesses ANDREW O. METLAND, INGVALD L. KNUDsoN.

